Hail Among the Seedlings...

Holy Hannah did we have a storm today! We were driving home from work/school and the gray clouds were congregated over Hillsborough. I wanted to take the kids to LocoPops after a quick post office trip, but I saw the clouds and prepared them for the worst. We weren't in the door five minutes when the winds picked up, thunder and lightening made their presence known, and the rain POURED! Morgan, who is anxious about weather anyway, was seeming more anxious than usual. He had his hoodie on and pulled up over his head, his sunglasses, his pillow, and was lying under a blanket in the hall weeping. I went and stretched out beside him (while an anxious dog walked on me) and tried to find out why this storm was so much worse for him (don't ever mention the word "tornado" around him). He told me he always gets nervous about them and I said I knew that but this seemed worse and that he has seemed more anxious than normal for the past week or so. He wouldn't look at me and I asked if it had anything to do with Myanmar and China and he said yes. So we talked about how we usually knew when to look out for severe weather, and what we would do. This was a pretty big storm, but not like a cyclone or an earthquake. I gave him my standard line that he doesn't need to worry unless I tell him to do so and then I'll be leading the worrying crusade! He came out of the hall but still needed hugs whenever the storm surged. When the hail came along, he was torn between enjoying it and being completely terrified.

Here's some hail in our "flower pot" - there's some rogue chicken weed in it too. These pictures are taken through windows with screens (sorry) but the good camera is not going outside in a storm!



Here's the hail among the seedlings:



You get the idea. Hail. Rain. Lots of rain.

Yesterday, when it was sunny, Chicky modeled the finished Noro Hat. Pattern by Saarje de Bruijn. (Ravelry link to her popular project page). It took a little over one skein of Noro Silk Garden Lite and all the kids wanted it. That one is mine, but I'll make theirs out of yarn I dye myself (no silk on heads of people that LOSE handknits).



I'm motoring away on the Girl's Best Friend Anklets (pattern KnitPicks). The yarn is Sunshine Yarns merino/silk in Salem (browns). I'm on the last row of the cuff and on to the st st. I really like the pattern and will probably do another pair in a lighter color so the pattern shows up a little better. Again, this is yesterday's picture and I was only about half-way through the cuff. You can get an idea of the diamond pattern.



I finally finished Memoirs of a Geisha, and I liked it and was totally absorbed by it, but also horrified at the same time. I still can't get over how many people have been and still are bought and sold in our world. I doubt I'll see the movie of the same name, though. I don't want to spoil my mental image.

The Kite Runner is the newest on the night stand. I hear it's heartbreakingly good and has been highly recommended by a reader with similar taste, so I'm proceeding.

Bed, and just one more row on the socks - are calling to me.

Weekend fun, fiber swap, and spinning

It's been quite a week. It started off at the beach (Wrightsville) with a little walking around and photography in Wilmington. There are old steamboat style houses, along with all manner of Victorian, and just some grand old houses. Almost every house down town has a plaque on the side declaring the year, style, and which person of importance formerly inhabited it. This tree is grafted and has two different flowers on it, I have no idea what they are, but they're lovely. (You can click on it to make it bigger.)



This house was for sale so there was some window peeping. Glancing up, here is some gorgeous design.



That gives way to some amazing cast iron around the porch itself.



Right next door is a Bed and Breakfast with garden. I can only imagine how enjoyable it will be when it's actually blooming.



Back here on the home front, Morgan's hand seems to be healing nicely. He has his check up tomorrow and another two weeks in the splint.



And some happiness in the fibery world, Sarah, and I are swappin' some fiber! My package arrived today:



The roving is superwash merino called Broken Yolks (LOVE IT!) and the yarn is her scrumptious handspun, Secret Garden. Plus, some Hershey Kisses and Peeps! The kids had no idea candy and fiber even existed in the same universe. They said that Sarah can come and stay at our house anytime.

Gratuitous Fiber shots ahead, avert the eyes of the young:



Broken Yolks up close and personal.



And Secret Garden. I'm giving some serious thought to what this should be knit into. The blues and purples are fabulous together. Can't wait!

In order to spin Broken Yolks, I have to ply some more random spun yarn. I've got one skein soaking and the other is on the wheel. Can I just tell you how much I love my tensioned Lazy Kate? Makes the whole thing so much easier, I can't believe I waited so long to buy it. I tried doing it myself on my old Kate and it didn't work out so well. Those Ashford people know what they're doing!